Downtown Latino Festival 2013

GAINESVILLE - In light of Hispanic Heritage Month, a local festival brings a taste of the Latin culture to North Central Florida.

The smell of empanadas with a combination of Latin music filled the Bo Diddley Community Plaza at the 12th annual Downtown Latino Festival.

With a Hispanic flair, hundreds gathered to celebrate the Latin culture including food venders and local nonprofit organizations.

David Ruiz, the director for the Downtown Latino Festival 2013, said, "Obviously, the food and the celebration and the music brings people here but we have a greater purpose which is to get people connected to the local resources via the health department with health information, voters registration, other non profits in the community so that people can get in touch with those resources that they may not know of."

The festival is expected to happen again next year during Hispanic Heritage Month.